Beginning

On July 7th 2002, based on the law 9790/99 (the OSCIP’s law) The organization called “Organização para Produção e Democratização da Informação Canto Cidadão” which means: “Organization for Production and Democratization of the Information Canto Cidadão” was founded in São Paulo city, as of the perception from the radio speakers Felipe Mello e Roberto Ravagnani that it was essential present the third sector and the citizens’ rights as main issue in places where it could reach a high number of people. Due to the fact that those issues are still treated in a superficial way by the means of communication without it being the core discussion. The Canto Cidadão, more than focus on those issues, came to treat them impartially and objectively with all the broadness and significance needed. It’s worth to highlight that on the past years the discussions about those issues have increased a lot but it still is lower than necessary.

Mission

The civil society organization of public interest Canto Cidadão has as its mission to produce and broadcast in a democratic way multimedia content focused on the importance of putting into practice the citizenship in all aspects and the organized participation of the civil society towards the Third Sector’s development, empowering its basis and contributing to social balance.
Canto Cidadão has as its objective the volunteering campaign as of to promoting and broadcasting the ethics, peace, citizenship, human rights, democracy and other universal values as well as the study and research of alternative technology developing production and broadcasting of information and scientific and technical knowledge related to the practice of volunteering and the practice of citizenship. (Law 9.790/99, art.3º)

Activities

Canto Cidadão will fulfill its underlying principles by creating and implementing broadcasting initiatives of the importance of practicing the citizenship and the organized participation of the civil society on the Third Sector development in all aspects, to achieve this through means of communication such as radio, television, newspaper, magazines, internet as well as workshops development and consultancy to promoting new initiatives, developing hospital humanization projects, community attendance and service providing on social events to organizations and companies. (Law 9.790/99, art. 3º). Canto Cidadão defends the communication of the concepts, initiatives and practical experience into the Third Sector as a fundamental tool to the civil society’s engagement. This participation seeks the development and the solidification of this private sector but of public interest, which has a crucial role on the sustainability of a balanced society. It makes therefore necessary to make the citizens’ rights and duties very clear.
The targeted audience for Canto Cidadão’s communication activities is the collectiveness. Once that the communication limitation to the bias of the third sector would not achieve the basic objective from this initiative: democratize the information. The choice of many means of communication seeks to achieve the highest possible number of citizens, making reflecting possible and inviting to the practice of the absolute citizenship.

The Board of Directors

The board of Canto Cidadão is represented by one general Director, an Administrative Director - which replaces the General Director on his absence - and by a Financial Director. The mandate of the board is of 36 (thirty six) months, being barred more than one consecutive reelection.
On the organization statute terms, it is the board’s duty to:
- produce and submit to General Assembly the organization annual program proposal; put the organization annual activities program into action; produce and present to the General Assembly the annual report; gather with public and private institutions in order to have mutual collaboration in common interest activities; to engage and dismiss employees; prescribe the Normative Orders from the General Assembly and forward Executive Orders to discipline the internal running from the organization.

Current Board:
- General Director: Roberto Luiz Ravagnani Watanabe
- Administrative Director: Felipe Domingos de Mello
- Project Director: Ubiratan Mendonça Junior

The Audit Committee

The Statutory Audit Committee from Canto Cidadão is represented by 03 (three) members and their respective successors elected by the General Assembly. The Statutory Audit Committee mandate will last corresponding to the same time as the Board of Directors. In case of vacancy, the mandate by the respective successor until it’s ending.
On the organization Statute terms, it is the Audit Committee’s duty to:
- verify the organization bookkeeping; advise about financial and accountant performance reports and also about patrimonial operations done, forwarding statements to the higher levels from the organization; (Law 9.790/99, incise III do art. 4º)
- request to the Financial Director, at any time, proofing documentation from the financial/economic operations done by the organization; call for an extraordinary general Assembly. 
The Statutory Audit Committee will gather ordinarily every 6 (six) months and extraordinarily as necessary.

Current Statutory Audit Committee: Adrian Kemmer Cernev, Jorge Farias Trigo, Mayra Shinohara Hassano, Sérgio Vaisman and Alexandre Moreira dos Santos.